This disclosure relates generally to optical fibers, and more particularly to fiber optic assemblies for retaining fiber optic connectors in cavity-defining body structures, and methods for retaining fiber optic connectors in cavity-defining body structures of fiber optic assemblies.
Optical fibers are useful in a wide variety of applications, including the telecommunications industry for voice, video, and data transmissions. In a telecommunications system that uses optical fibers, there are typically many locations where fiber optic cables that carry the optical fibers connect to equipment or other fiber optic cables. To conveniently provide these connections, fiber optic connectors (“connectors”) are often provided on the ends of fiber optic cables. Connectors are designed to engage adapters or other receptacles that align the connectors with other connectors or equipment so that data can be transmitted between the components.
Some connectors include one or more latch arms that extend outwardly from (e.g., in a slanted direction relative to) a connector body. Each latch arm is designed to engage an adapter in a manner that retains the connector in the adapter. Typically the latch arm must flex toward the connector body to fully insert the connector into the adapter. Once the connector is fully inserted into the adapter, the latch arm is able to flex back away from the connector body to result in the engagement mentioned above. The connector cannot then be removed from the adapter unless the latch arm is flexed toward the connector body again. Flexure of the latch arm causes a cantilever latch associated with the latch arm to rotate through a large arc between its latched and unlatched position, with such rotation causing a latching surface of the cantilever latch to be displaced in a longitudinal direction (e.g., away from a tip of the connector).
Several existing connector designs incorporate features to prevent inadvertent removal of a connector from an adapter. In particular, several connector designs incorporate features to prevent a latch arm of a connector from being moved toward the connector body. The features prevent movement of the latch arm itself or a trigger element (“trigger”) that is otherwise configured to depress the latch arm. In essence, the latch arm or trigger is effectively “locked” to help prevent the connector from disengaging the adapter. The locking is typically reversible in that the latch arm or trigger can typically be “unlocked”, i.e. placed back into a state that allows the latch arm to be depressed by the trigger or activated directly.
Presence of dust and other debris within a connector may compromise the integrity of fiber optic connections. Although dust caps are frequently used to prevent ingress of dust and debris into connectors, it may be difficult to positively secure dust caps on connectors that include latch arms. This is because the latch arms typically engage the dust caps in a manner similar to the manner in which the latch arms engage an adapter, thereby retaining the dust caps on the connectors. As such, the dust caps need to accommodate the flexure of the latch arms, which also means accommodating the longitudinal displacement of the associated cantilever latch mentioned above. Unfortunately, the presence of longitudinal clearance in a dust cap opens a path for dust to enter a connector. Such longitudinal clearance also permits a dust cap to wobble slightly relative to a fiber optic connector, which may cause field personnel to exhibit reduced confidence in the cleanliness of the fiber optic connector.
It may also be difficult to determine whether a dust cap has been subject to removal and reinstallation—whether due to tampering or inadvertent action. When field personnel suspect that fiber optic connectors may have been exposed to dust or debris, such personnel may be compelled to spend time inspecting and/or cleaning fiber optic connectors before placing them in service. It may also be difficult to prevent inadvertent removal of, or tampering with, connectors and adjacent mating structures such as a patch panels or modules.
Thus, although fiber optic assemblies with locking features may exist, there remains room for improvement, to address one or more of the issues outlined above.